1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of ballistics and in particular to explosively formed projectiles. More specifically, the present invention relates to an explosively formed barrier-breaching plate for clearing barriers in advance of an explosively formed projectile.
2. Background of the Invention
In tactical military exercises, primary targets are often blocked by intermediate barriers or obstacles. These obstacles can be fences, covers, forestry, or light armor. The intermediate barriers or obstacles can be breached by a preliminary manual labor operation. However, manual labor operations expose military personnel to harm and require time for planning and execution. As an alternative, the intermediate barriers or obstacles can be breached by current warhead systems comprising multiple warheads within a single envelope. However, these systems require multiple and complex explosive firing trains, are expensive, require a missile delivery system for deployment, and cannot typically be transported or deployed by an individual because of their size and weight.
A warhead comprising an explosively formed projectile can be used to clear barriers or obstacles. The explosively formed projectile uses an explosive energy to deform a metal plate into a coherent penetrator while simultaneously accelerating it to extremely high velocities, employing a kinetic energy penetrator without the use of a large gun. A conventional explosively formed projectile is comprised of one or more metallic liners, a case, an explosive section, and an initiation train. Typically, the explosively formed projectile comprises a retaining ring to position and hold the liner-explosive subassembly in place. Explosively formed projectiles produce one or more massive, high velocity penetrators. After detonation, the explosive products create enormous pressures that accelerate one or more liners while simultaneously reshaping the liners into a rod or some other desired shape. The explosively formed projectile then impacts the target at a high speed, delivering a significantly high mechanical power.
An EFP warhead configuration may be comprised of a steel case, a high-explosive charge, and a metallic liner. Explosively formed projectile warheads have been designed to project a one or more high velocity projectiles to attack armored targets. Although this technology has proven to be useful, it would be desirable to present additional improvements. What is needed is a warhead that is capable of breaching intermediate obstacles, clearing a path for subsequent explosively formed projectiles that can then effectively defeat a primary target. The need for such a system has heretofore remained unsatisfied.